Rossi to Ducati rumors

UPDATE Valentino Rossi has been linked with a move to Ducati as early as next season already, while the Italian has an ongoing contract at Yamaha for another season. Rossi though has said the only team he will be racing for in 2010 is Yamaha.

The Professor

"I will race for Yamaha in 2010," Rossi told Italian newspaper Repubblica. "It is easy to explain because I have a contract with Yamaha for next season and I have absolutely no intention to leave the team next season. We even talk about a longer future already.

"I will make a decision on my future in MotoGP in June 2010 because any time earlier than that would not make sense. I will also have to think if I want to continue in MotoGP or change path."

09/07/09 MotoGP World Champion and Misano winner Valentino Rossi was asked about a potential move to Ducati in 2011 after Sunday’s race, but says he is still to decide on his future.

Speculation in the press linking Italian national hero Valentino Rossi with a move to Italian factory team Ducati resulted in the World Champion inevitably being asked about the subject following yet another victory in Italy, but the MotoGP title holder insists the rumors are just paper talk at present.

The 30 year-old rider took another step closer to what would be a fourth premier class title with his current Fiat Yamaha team and a seventh premier class crown in total on Sunday, and when asked about the 2011 Ducati rumors he replied, “I haven’t decided yet about my future, I will decide in the next year. I have a contract signed already with Yamaha (for 2010). For sure it is a great dream for everybody, to see Valentino with Ducati. We will see, I don’t know."

Commenting on the superb atmosphere at Misano, which is situated close to his hometown of Tavullia, Rossi enthused, “It is fantastic. This year I really feel like this is my home Grand Prix. Before it always felt more like Mugello was home, but here with all this crowd it is brilliant. It is great for MotoGP to have so many fans and to see everyone with their 46 flags was amazing."

On whether he had expected a harder battle with his team-mate Jorge Lorenzo during the race he stated, “Jorge is always strong but we saw in the practice that we had a little bit of an advantage, so we were able to go a bit faster than him."